Transforming stereotypes through open discussion and awareness raising

06.03.2010

The attitudes and behaviours of Armenian people towards the gender-based violence (GBV) are deeply rooted in their stereotypes on gender roles and violence. That is why the awariness raising becomes a central component in GBV prevention. It aims at spreading the knowledge and information about GBV and related issues among the Armenian women and men and young people.

The more people are aware of the threats and the consequences of GBV, the more the Armenian society will move towards zero-tolerance of violence. Meanwhile, general awareness of Armenian women and men on GBV is rather low and the issue itself is rarely brought up and discussed openly. ICHD and its ally-partners in Consortium combating against gender based-violence - AAWUE and Tatev-95, supported by the United Nations Population Fund Armenia (UNFPA/Armenia) have addressed this gap through raising awareness of women and men and young people by facilitating 80 one-day open discussions (Awareness raising meetings - ARMs).

Over 1650 high school and university students, educators, journalists, health professionals, young leaders, refugees, women and men in over sixty urban and rural communities around Armenia have at least somewhat changed their attitude as they gained knowledge on gender equality and GBV. In late January 2010, ICHD and partners have reviewed the results of the Awareness Raising Meetings (ARM Campaign), consolidated the lessons learned through the effort and agreed on further actions in this initiative.

Violence against women is one of the worst forms of violation of human rights prevalent all over the world. Women face gender-based violence (GBV) in workplaces, educational institutions, rural and urban communities. They are exposed to GBV irrespective of their ethnic or religious background, social status, economic standing, age, or other condition. The violence is particularly rampant when it occurs at home, a place where women are supposed to be provided with safe family environment.

The current policy brief aimed at analyzing the monitored online print media outlets in cases when they covered the topic of sex selection and articles that were broadly linked to the value of girls and women. The content of web-based media outlets have been scrutinized to identify any statements or reporting that could have had distorted, untruthful or prejudicial elements against women or men. All these aspects were separately analyzed quantified and also handpicked, allowing analyzing the level of stereotypical reporting either as a media intention or as an absence of intention, leading to unobstructed penetration of prejudicial statements widely circulated in the society and back by reinstating the current state of the affairs.